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Most likely everyone thought as I did when I first saw a obese animal, about how cute or how lovely they looked...maybe if I had never started this blog and looked up information about animal care I would never have had the chance to realize how harmful and even painful this is for our pet animals and all because of human indulgence.
Human fault
As their owners, we are responsible for their well being...we control what they eat, when and if they exercise, and ultimately, their weight.
Consequences in our pets health
Present day society doesn't provide many chances for most of us to maintain a healthy life, time is always scarce so we are content with unhealthy food as long as it's fast, tv programs instead of exercise...this regime has a even worse effect on our pet friends, obese animals can have any number of weigh related illnesses and it creates extra stress on the body and organs that has much less tolerance to the unnatural condition then we humans. Fat animals are much more prone to suffer from cardiac disease, respiratory problems, digestive disorders, and high blood pressure. Their joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones suffer from excess wear and tear, so they endure arthritis, joint injuries, leg problems, and back ailments. They also run a greater risk during anesthesia and surgery compared to humans. Overheating, skin disease, and reproductive problems are common complaints. Obese animals are prone to life threatening chronic diseases such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, pancreatitis, and liver disease, including feline hepatic lipidosis.
As the pet ages, these physical problems increase and begin to affect the animals in a larger scale of their daily life...increased difficulty rising, walking, climbing stairs, running, and lying down. They are more prone to develop fatty tumors. These tumors can interfere with motion and make the animals even more uncomfortable. In general, obese pets lead shorter, less comfortable lives than those kept at the proper healthy weight.
How to check if your pet is obese
The usual way to check if your dog is overweight is to examine the dog by looking at them from the side as they stand. You should see good definition between the rib cage and the abdominal area. If you cannot tell where the ribs end and the abdomen begins, your dog is most likely overweight.
The most accurate method uses touch. While the dog is standing, place your hands on both sides of the rib cage. If you can just feel the dog's ribs, your dog is within the optimal weight range. A dog within his normal weight range should have a thin layer of fat over the ribs. If you can actually put your fingers between each rib, the dog is too thin. If you cannot feel the ribs, your dog is fat. The more overweight the dog becomes, the heavier the layer of fat will feel. Fat can also be present along the back, over the hips, and over the abdomen but they aren't as easy to check compared to the rib area.
It may be more difficult to decide if your cat is overweight, in that looks are often deceiving. Heavily furred cats or those with excess hanging skin may appear to be obese, when they are not. Feeling the cat may be a better indicator of body mass. In general, cats should have a sleek appearance, without a huge belly or pads of fat on their hips.
Thats all for now, I'll dedicate my next post on ways to treat and tips to keep your pet healthy!
3 comments:
I agree! My neighbors have gotten about 3 cats in the last 10 years or so and they see how fat they can get them. I would assume they keep dying from diabetes..
In my opinion there's nothing worse than obese pets. Not only does it hurt the animals themselves, but it also shows how actually careless and animal-focused the owner is. It somehow reminds me of spoiling kids.
I have never had any pet. I've never thought about obesity in pets... Interesting...
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